"Is this all for ramen?"
On November 6, a curious line formed in front of Gumi Station in North Gyeongsang Province. People were waiting for instant ramen. Why would anyone travel to another city just to buy ramen that is available at a convenience store near their home? The answer was found at the '2026 Gumi Ramen Festival,' where attendees could purchase 'freshly fried ramen' produced on the same day, directly from the factory.
The Gumi Ramen Festival, themed 'The Longest Ramen Street in the World,' took place from November 6 to 8 along a 475-meter stretch in front of Gumi Station. Now in its fifth year, the event is a collaborative effort between Gumi City and Nongshim, aimed at promoting local businesses. The festival started in 2022 with 15,000 visitors and grew to 350,000 last year. This year, Gumi City expects to attract over 400,000 visitors, matching the local population of approximately 400,000.
The festival's signature product, freshly fried ramen, sold around 480,000 units last year. The bags filled with ramen even earned the nickname 'ramen backpacks' on social media. This year, the popularity remained high, with a line stretching about 400 meters from the sales booth at Gumi Elementary School to the street in front of Gumi Station by 1:30 PM.
Seong Min-kyu, 30, who visited the festival again this year, waited about two hours to buy ramen, recalling the delicious taste of the freshly fried ramen he had purchased last year. He said, "I wanted to come back because the booths were nice and the ramen was delicious. Buying ramen made on the same day is an experience you can't find anywhere else."
As I passed the line and headed toward the ramen restaurant, the menu caught my attention. From ramen with clams and abalone to dishes featuring cream and pork belly, there were many unique combinations. This year, 33 restaurants participated, including 25 ramen restaurants and eight food trucks. A 'half-portion ramen' option was available, allowing visitors to sample nine different dishes in smaller quantities.
Notably, this year introduced premium dishes like mushroom ramen and deep-fried fish ramen. The mushroom ramen, prepared by Oh Kwang-jin, 65, featured a rich mushroom flavor in a dark brown broth, with mushrooms served alongside the noodles. Oh explained that he secured ingredients starting in late September, stating, "The price of mushrooms has risen significantly, but I felt it was important to keep our promise with this premium menu as it is the highlight of the festival. I wanted to showcase the flavors of our local ingredients by incorporating mushrooms into Korean ramen."
Preparing a bowl of ramen for the festival takes several months. The planning team recruits participating chefs five months in advance, conducting cooking evaluations and interviews. After selection, the menu is refined through consulting.
Park Jong-soo, 44, who runs a restaurant in Sangmo-dong, Gumi, said, "It was a fierce competition, but the preparation process was enjoyable, and I feel proud to participate in the festival. I believe the festival will help promote Gumi and local eateries, which is exciting for small business owners like me."
This year, the festival also featured the 'Global Ramen Challenge,' which attracted 1,263 teams from 80 countries. After two rounds of evaluations based on recipes and cooking videos, 13 teams from countries including the United States, Poland, Mexico, Peru, Egypt, and Nigeria advanced to the finals.
Lindsey Catherine, 33, a participant from Seattle, said, "Among various types of ramen from different countries, Korean ramen suits my taste the best. I'm getting inspiration for new recipes by tasting different ramen at the festival."
At the Ramen Workshop and Nongshim pop-up store, visitors had the chance to make their own ramen by selecting noodles, soup, and toppings, and decorating their containers. Many took photos in front of ramen sculptures to commemorate their experience.
Nongshim and Gumi City collaborated to launch a special product, 'Gumi Ramen Festival Noodles,' made with 100% Gumi wheat flour. This limited edition features a spicy beef broth with shiitake mushrooms, carrots, and bok choy. Nongshim produced a total of 200,000 packets at its Gumi factory, available for sale at the festival and on the Nongshim online store.
According to Gumi City, last year's festival generated approximately 1 billion won in ramen and food sales over the three days. Nearby businesses saw sales of about 2.86 billion won, as identified through big data analysis.
A supermarket owner in the area noted, "Sales during the festival exceed ten times the usual amount. It's the happiest time of the year for us." Park Da-som, a Gumi resident who brought friends from another region to the festival, said, "Gumi is more of an industrial city than a tourist destination, but it's great that people come here to have this experience. Many people are learning about Gumi through the festival, which makes residents feel proud."
Gumi City plans to turn the three-day festival into a year-round attraction. Currently, about 12 local restaurants offer festival menus year-round, with a goal to increase that number to 20 this year. They are also preparing to establish the 'Gumi Ramen Museum,' which will feature excellent menus and experiential exhibition spaces.
Gumi Mayor Kim Jang-ho said, "This festival, which brings together local businesses, self-employed individuals, and farmers, is meaningful for regional development. We aim to grow the ramen festival into Asia's largest festival, surpassing Munich's Oktoberfest."
* This article has been translated by AI.
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